Synthetic biology will transform our understanding of family ties, how we age, how we treat ourselves, where we live, and what we eat. This rapidly growing field, which uses computers to edit and modify genetic code, has already produced breakthrough solutions, from mRNA vaccines and diagnostics for congenital diseases in embryos to lab-grown meat that tastes almost like the real thing. It offers us a chance to tackle global threats such as climate change, food shortages, and energy crises.

But it also carries serious risks. Should genetically modified organisms be released into the wild? Should there be limits on how much we can enhance the human body? What cyberbiological hazards do we face? Could a coming war using engineered bacteria and viruses lead to mass extinction?

The ability to edit and create life brings profound social change as we balance public trust with the speed of biotechnological progress.

Amy Webb and Andrew Hessel provide a compelling look at the present and future of synthetic biology, helping us think about the moral dilemmas of purposefully engineering life, and the enormous possibilities it holds for us.

A great transformation of life is underway. The creation machine will soon influence how we conceive children, what we mean by family, how we treat disease, where and how we build our homes, and what we eat.